“I have five mortar and pestle sets, all in different shapes and sizes, all in different materials, but there is only one that is in both of my kitchens that I give as gifts,” Zimmern shares. “This one is big enough to take on any job in the kitchen, heavy enough that it doesn’t move, and I can still crush a tablespoon of peppercorns in it.”

The Family Dinner host adds: “I love this mortar and pestle, and no kitchen should be without one for grinding spice blends, nuts, sauces like mayonnaise and bagna cauda, relishes, pulses, and pastes. This is my favorite tool of all!”

“While there are many great gifts that the foodie you love will eagerly welcome into their kitchen, the value of a good knife or good knife set will never go out of style. And if you keep your knives sharp and clean, they’ll last for eons and bring you and the recipients of your culinary brilliance lots of joy,” the cookbook author and host of History Channel’s Modern Marvels shares.

While Richman has more than one knife set he loves, one of his current favorites is a set from an Asian knife company called Shun. “Alton Brown got me into these,” he notes. They are a pleasure to hold and a pleasure to behold. The ripples of folded Damascus steel on the blade are gorgeous, and their edge could cut a molecule in half. The hammered tsuchime finish keeps food from sticking to the blade as well.”

Richman adds: “The Shun Premier Knife Block set, which includes a chef’s knife, a utility knife, and a paring knife, plus a honing steel and a storage block, will blow any food magician away.”

“The slotted Kunz spoon is a no-brainer that every cook should have in their tools arsenal,” says the James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurateur. “Whether I’m using it to poach eggs for breakfast or plating up a multi-course dinner, it’s convenient in both home and restaurant kitchens.”